Morse Code Translator

Projects Programming
1

I am trying to do the "Morse Code Translator from Getting Started with Sketches" Book by Simon Monk. Although I have copied the code and gone through it several times I keep getting compilation errors which I cannot get rid of. Any pointers to what is wrong are gratefully appreciated. Its driving me mad...
Code Below:

//morse code translator

int dotDelay = 200;
int ledPin = 13;

// Morse code for Alphabet
char* letters[] = { ".-", "-...", "-.-.", "-..", ".", "..-.", "--.",   // A-G
                        "....", "..", ".---", "_._", ".-..", "--", "-.",    // H-N
                        "---", ".--.", "--.-", ".-.", "...", "-", "..-",    // O-U
                        "...-", ".--", "-..-", "-.--", "--.."               // V-Z
                      };

// Morse code for Numbers
char* numbers[] = { "-----", ".----", "..---", "...--", "....-",       // 0-4
                        ".....", "-....", "--...", "---..", "----."         // 5-9
                      };

void setup()
{
  pinMode (ledPin, OUTPUT);
  Serial.begin (9600);
}

void loop()
{
char ch;
if (Serial.available()  >  0)
{
ch = Serial.read();
if (ch >= 'a' &&  ch <= 'z')
{
flashSequence (letters [ch – 'a']);
}
else if (ch >= 'A' && ch <= 'Z')
{
flashSequence (letters [ch – 'A']);
}
else if (ch >= '0' && ch <= '9')
{
flashSequence (numbers [ch – '0']);
}
else if (ch == ' ' )
{
delay (dotDelay * 4);  //gap between words
    }
  }
}

void flashSequence (char* sequence)
{
int i = 0;
while (sequence[i] != '\0');
{
flashDotOrDash (sequence [i]);
i++;
}
delay(dotDelay * 3); 
}

void flashDotOrDash (char dotOrDash)
{
digitalWrite (ledPin, HIGH);
if  (dotOrDash == '.' )
{
delay (dotDelay);
}
else // must be a -
{
delay (dotDelay * 3);
}
digitalWrite (ledPin, LOW);
delay (dotDelay); //gap between flashes
}

Errors:
sketch_aug16a:33: error: stray '' in program
sketch_aug16a:37: error: stray '' in program
sketch_aug16a:41: error: stray '' in program
sketch_aug16a.ino: In function 'void loop()':
sketch_aug16a:33: error: expected ]' before 'u2013' sketch_aug16a:33: error: expected )' before 'u2013'
sketch_aug16a:37: error: expected ]' before 'u2013' sketch_aug16a:37: error: expected )' before 'u2013'
sketch_aug16a:41: error: expected ]' before 'u2013' sketch_aug16a:41: error: expected )' before 'u2013'

moderator: code tags added == # button above smileys

2
  1. Read the how to use the forum and post the code correctly - you can correct your post
  2. Where did you get the code from? It has all the hall marks of being copied from a web browser or text recognition output and having some none printing characters in it.
3

the problem you encounter might be that the copy is done in unicode not in flat ascii

Code modified to compile, essentially retyped the references to the arrays. (which I wonder if they work, but that's a second Q)

//morse code translator

int dotDelay = 200;
int ledPin = 13;

// Morse code for Alphabet
char *letters[] = { 
  ".-", "-...", "-.-.", "-..", ".", "..-.", "--.", 
  "....", "..", ".---", "_._", ".-..", "--", "-.", 
  "---", ".--.", "--.-", ".-.", "...", "-", "..-", 
  "...-", ".--", "-..-", "-.--", "--.."
};

// Morse code for Numbers
char *numbers[] = { 
  "-----", ".----", "..---", "...--", "....-",       // 0-4
  ".....", "-....", "--...", "---..", "----."         // 5-9
};

void setup()
{
  pinMode (ledPin, OUTPUT);
  Serial.begin (9600);
}

void loop()
{
  char ch;
  if (Serial.available()  >  0)
  {
    ch = Serial.read();
    if (ch >= 'a' &&  ch <= 'z')
    {
      flashSequence(letters[ch - 'a']);
    }
    else if (ch >= 'A' && ch <= 'Z')
    {
      flashSequence(letters[ch - 'A']);
    }
    else if (ch >= '0' && ch <= '9')
    {
      flashSequence(numbers[ch - '0']);
    }
    else if (ch == ' ' )
    {
      delay (dotDelay * 4);  //gap between words
    }
  }
}

void flashSequence (char* sequence)
{
  int i = 0;
  while (sequence[i] != '\0');
  {
    flashDotOrDash(sequence [i]);
    i++;
  }
  delay(dotDelay * 3); 
}

void flashDotOrDash(char dotOrDash)
{
  digitalWrite (ledPin, HIGH);
  if  (dotOrDash == '.' )
  {
    delay (dotDelay);
  }
  else // must be a -
  {
    delay (dotDelay * 3);
  }
  digitalWrite (ledPin, LOW);
  delay (dotDelay); //gap between flashes
}
4

Take a look at this thread which discusses the same piece of code.

http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=256312.0

5

Hi Sue

There are three statements in the program like this:

flashSequence (letters [ch - 'a']);

The problem seems to be that the minus sign character between ch and 'a' is not a minus sign but a different dash. Try deleting the dash and typing a minus sign.

Regards

Ray

6

Using Rob's posted code and following Ray's suggestion on the retyping of the - signs I then had to correct the syntax of the while statement

 while (sequence[i] != '\0');

by removing the semi colon

 while (sequence[i] != '\0')

Compiles, runs, and flashes.